


Betrayal: What A Mistake!

by Val9000



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Light Angst, M/M, Post-Episode: s01e04 Cyberwoman, but there's hints of Jack feeling more, it's mainly about Jack and Ianto's friendship, jacks pov, you can ignore the relationship tag if you want to
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-11-25 19:23:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20917283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Val9000/pseuds/Val9000
Summary: Jack isn’t sure what to think about everything that happened. With the cyberman. With Ianto. But everyone’s gone home now, and the mess isn’t as bad as it was at first – definitely something that can wait until tomorrow. So he finds the tallest building he can without going too far away from the Hub and spends the entire night staring out over the city and trying to sort out his thoughts.





	Betrayal: What A Mistake!

**Author's Note:**

> I have a Torchwood side-blog on tumblr called 'top-6-lies-torchwood-tell' if anyone wants to follow me there or just to have a chat. I currently have a couple other fics that I'm working on and hope to post soon so if you follow me on tumblr you'll get the news on that. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy this fic!

Jack isn’t sure what to think about everything that happened. With the cyberman. With Ianto. But everyone’s gone home now, and the mess isn’t as bad as it was at first – definitely something that can wait until tomorrow. So he finds the tallest building he can without going too far away from the Hub and spends the entire night staring out over the city and trying to sort out his thoughts.

Ianto betrayed them.

Ianto has been lying to them this whole time.

Jack’s distantly aware that he was probably too harsh with Ianto. That there were a lot of things he did and said because he was angry. And he decides to apologise for them in the morning. Or in a couple of days. He needs time away from Ianto to sort everything out in his head. What was real. What _wasn’t_ real.

And he’s not sure what Ianto needs. Does he want time to cool off as well? Does he want an apology straight away? Jack maybe could’ve answered that question before. Or at least feel confident about his answer – right or wrong. But now he’s aware that he doesn’t know _anything_ about Ianto Jones.

Jack trusted him with so much and Ianto betrayed them. First Suzie and now Ianto. He thinks maybe Ianto’s betrayal hurts more. Either because it’s hot on the heels of Suzie’s and Jack was already smarting from that or because… it’s Ianto. Suzie was his second in command. He trusted her. She betrayed them. But not because it was her plan from the start. It was never personal. She couldn’t handle the job and she cracked under the pressure. It was an entirely professional betrayal even if it did, personally, hurt.

But Ianto knows more about the Hub than anyone else except Jack. Because Jack trusted him with that information. He gave Ianto passwords, free range of the Torchwood archives and even let him move around Jack’s office without his supervision.

And Ianto betrayed him.

He thought Ianto was his friend. After work, when everyone else had gone home, Ianto was always staying back late. And Jack rarely left. So they’d run into each other. And talk. Jack thought Ianto stayed back so much because of him. That Ianto enjoyed his company as a friend. And maybe as something more, if they gave it enough time.

Realising that the real reason for it was because he was hiding a threat, well… it hurt.

Realising that Ianto used Jack’s feelings for him to manipulate him into only seeing what Ianto wanted him to see hurt.

He’d been using Jack from the beginning. From the first night they met. Ianto was from Torchwood One, he must’ve heard stories about Jack and his flirting and everything he did was just an attempt to get Jack to hire him. Including the flirting. The compliments. And then once he was hired it was just to keep up the act and to distract Jack.

As a former conman, he’s impressed. As Ianto’s boss, he’s annoyed and angry. As Ianto’s… friend, he doesn't know what to feel. Upset, confused and hurt definitely. And maybe… he’s a little jealous as well. Which is an entirely too inappropriate feeling so he shoves it down and doesn’t think about it.

He instead thinks about nights spent talking. The easy atmosphere and a couple of drinks letting Jack say things he probably shouldn’t have. Added in a little too much detail. He never really tries to hide the fact that he’s a time traveller – at least not by avoiding all mention of it. He talks and he talks and he lets everyone assume he’s just taking the piss or over exaggerating but with Ianto it was different. He was always too sincere, for one.

That night when he put on some music and Glenn Miller came on and he had definitely had too much to drink. Ianto refilling his glass while he wasn’t looking and barely touching his own. Ianto never really drunk much so Jack never thought anything of it. Looking back on it, he was probably worried the alcohol would make him confess his secret.

And in Jack’s case? Well, despite his best efforts, he always drinks too much.

So when Glenn Miller came on and Ianto was asking him about his coat and Jack was feeling nostalgic, he asked Ianto to dance with him. It didn’t take much convincing. Which was something that made him feel giddy at the time but now just makes his stomach feel like it’s full of lead.

They danced. Or more accurately, Jack stumbled around his office while Ianto kept them upright. Jack had held Ianto close and told him that this was his favourite song. Which prompted a conversation Jack regretted having once it was the next morning.

“It reminds me of everything good about the 1940s.”

“You say that like you were there.”

“Who says I wasn’t? But that’s not all. It reminds me of the first time in a long time that everything started to feel like it was right and everything started changing for the good. It gives me hope that I can get back there.”

Despite his regret over sharing entirely too much of his emotional state, he had told himself that it was okay. Because out of everyone to talk about it with, it was Ianto. And he trusted Ianto in a way he didn’t really trust anyone else. It was stupid of him. Letting his feelings get in the way. Letting Ianto manipulate him so easily just because he was lonely and tired and because he liked Ianto. A lot. He liked Ianto a lot and he still does, despite everything.

And maybe the worst part is, is that Jack can’t even stay angry. Ianto did all this for love. Because he was desperate, and traumatised. And maybe if Jack had been more sympathetic the second time they met, he would’ve confided in Jack and they could’ve fixed this without the added trauma. Without the betrayal. Or maybe he wouldn’t have. Jack can’t keep thinking about the maybes and what ifs.

\-----

He goes to see Ianto the next morning after all. They lay out the terms of his punishment – four weeks suspension and increased surveillance. Ianto insists he doesn’t need the surveillance. That he’s not going to try anything else because he only wanted to save Lisa and she’s gone now. Jack doesn’t mention that the surveillance is extended to his mental health as well as any suspicious activity. Owen had suggested it, and looking at Ianto now Jack’s glad he did. Because Ianto looks numb. He looks more than devastated.

It makes Jack want to comfort him somehow but he’s not sure what to do. What would be welcome. So he pretends he doesn’t notice. And sends a silent thank you out to whoever that Ianto’s not looking at him so he doesn’t have to put energy in he’s not sure he has to make sure his mask isn’t see-through. Then he takes a deep breath to prepare himself for the no doubt difficult topic ahead.

“Ianto… I’m sorry. I can’t be sorry about… getting rid of the cyberman. But I am sorry it happened, I’m sorry about Lisa and I’m sorry I acted the way I did.”

Ianto is silent for a long time. Jack’s just starting to think that he should move on because Ianto won’t answer when he does. “I’m sorry too.” His voice is shaky. Barely there. “I didn’t want any of that to happen, I’m – I’m sorry I lied.”

“It’ll be okay. You did it for love – that’s definitely one of the better reasons for doing what you did.” He hesitates, but eventually decides to covers Ianto’s tightly clasped hands with one of his. Ianto looks up at him, shocked. “Ianto, we’re still here for you. If there’s anything you need, just talk to one of us. Let us know.”

“I can’t imagine you’d be too happy to help me.” He drops his gaze to stare at their hands.

“It’s a little tense at the moment, I’ll give you that. But everyone understands, and they know you didn’t do it to hurt anyone. Just give them some time to lessen the sting of it.” He hesitates. “And it’s okay if you can’t forgive any of us right now, either. That’s mainly what these weeks are for. Time away to sort everything out.”

“What if I don’t forgive any of you at all?”

Jack gives him a brittle smile, thankful Ianto’s not looking. It’s a shaky imitation of a smile that gives away far too much of his emotional state. “Well, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

He just barely refrains from telling Ianto that he can leave Torchwood – if he wants. He doesn’t want Ianto to leave. And that’s selfish of him, sure, but he also thinks that Ianto isn’t in the right headspace right now to be given that option. At the end of his four weeks they’ll talk about it.

Jack squeezes Ianto’s hands and stands up, ready to walk out of the apartment, when Ianto starts speaking.

“Jack… back before you – you said ‘them’ not ‘us’ so… what about you?”

He’s glad he’s facing away from Ianto. But a man who notices as much as Ianto surely wouldn’t miss the way he tensed. Hopefully he’s too upset to see it. He uses every trick in the book to keep his voice steady. “I’ve already forgiven you.”

“That’s not true.”

He’s right, but Jack can’t bring himself to talk about it. To explain that yes, as Ianto’s boss he’s already forgiven him but as his friend it’s going to take some time. He doesn't even know if Ianto ever considered him a friend and he’s not about to talk as if they were. Just in case Ianto only saw him as someone to distract. And he won’t ask either – too afraid of the answer.

“If you need anything you can call me.” He still doesn’t turn around. “I mean it. Anything.”

Ianto doesn't answer and this time, Jack doesn’t wait for him to. He leaves Ianto’s apartment building and as much as he’d like to spend the rest of the day on a roof, he knows he has to get back to work and try and smooth things over on everyone else’s side.

**Author's Note:**

> If anyone has any prompts or suggestions for me to write please comment them. (I'm trying to get back into writing.) I probably won't write anything that would mean I would have to click one of the Archive Warnings (except Major Character Death) and I definitely won't write sex scenes. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this!


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